Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-08-11
-upgF MILES BELOW MOBILE.
rrRtCF THOMPSON.

d By MAURICE THOMPSON.
\ Government street, in Mobile,
A. an old. dingy, vine-mantled man
which attracts the attention or the
Inv IN account of certain atmos-
NJ gloom and an indescribable eff
~ uithdrawal and exclusiveness sug-
,1bv the close. drawn window-shades,
1 boveripr shadows, and the prevailing
ns.s and silence OF the place. 1t is
BID house. though rambling and un-
s1tious in its architecture, standing
hack from the wide stone sidewalk
uncovered in grandly spreading oak
Its owner and Servants excepted)
ma occupant is a very old and very
IN woman, Mile. Rose Jourdon, the
Of great family.
collapse of a great family is the
psthetic phase of social history and
rlnes chances to be the most tragic
EveD. In this instance, however, the
edy is far in the past, held in the
kory Of but few of the present dwell
in Government street, and the old
.stead appears to keep as solemnly
M from all its environment as does
I solitary woman within from the peo-
&vbo surround her; wherefore there is
probability of any wrong being done
H. publication of this bit of oldtime
&ory and romance. Go to Government
H.. if YOU like, and l dare say you can
land tAe place | describe, so singulary
b. is the monotone of local color in
beautiful and dreamy old thorough
b matter what changes have come to
EexteriOr of the house, within it Is ex-
as it was tifty-tve years ago. There
the same carpets, this same tall,
ghtbacked mahogany chairs, the
i stately clock on the stair landing,
same curtains at the windows, the
L low, broad, sofas with their curious
CURED embroidery, the same old silver
ted and pearl-set guitar in the corner
be spacious drawing room, the same
si7e table-chairs and side-board in
dining room-indeed, everything the
as when Rose Jourdon, at the age of
IVA The acknowledged belle of Mobile.
! period Of fifty. five years may be
Rtior long, according to the point of
p from which 1t is measured, but in
case 1t brings great changes between
opening and its close, to the girl who
rs 1t at - and leaves it at II. / say
IN speaking of Rose Jourdon when
vas -, for the reason that / saw
rant OF her made when she was in
bloom, and under it was curious
egTam containing the legend; "R.
hi. - 1t was the face and bust of
passlngly beautiful but slender and
'h young woman, whose pure, noble,
est eyes and sweet, firm mouth, indi-
high and lovely character. 1t
southern face, but it was not of
'or' Which artists and poets have
70 embody IN their works as typical
dOpcal and subtropical feminine
3 There was no darkness and
o'y are and half suppressed Saphic
non IN 1t; but there were serene self
.'nder warmth, lofty pride, and
" lot broad capacity for love ex-
'sl 10 every feature. She was neither
lo' night, but a striking effect Of
was given out by her bright brown
/ s' tWlllSht-gray eyes, and her
'alf though by no means white
'-'eA showed just tough of rose
s5A and chin. The portrait was
- abroad, in Rome perhaps, by
-@'.s' hand, but / have been told
'Ar less beautiful than was Rose
-'1 q. The time she sat for it.
SHOULD cross the threshold of the
g-.'on mansion this morning, we
.-l slender. emaciated old wo-
10 comfortable chair in an
r.. waiting butnot of "a pectancy.
'hrlve,ed, her hair is white
'sT hands shake az she once
.".''1' @ creased, worn, and yellow
Iafef' 1t Is not q love. letter,
'1'uliced relic upon which the
OF Rose Jourdon rest with
! TIC heiplessuess. 1t might
'.1tet' An, might have
many life histories end amid
oil the phrase. 1t is no
mentality that discovers in
Isuce, and especially in the
~. vi "omt a here and there, the
-s...- 'l5-c'ies'. strangely sinister,
lance is often tho h;-L.
ldealize as we may. so
strictly within bounds of
cay ~ last we shall discover
g deeper reach and a loftier
dream has coppassed. The
-..- upon the commonplace ana
-. commonplace and usual
8 are no more real than
-.t''ee and usual of interior
-'t! any Of these be called
'ae cor-elative unusual
1Aln7s Moreover, il is
com nbA and usual certain
@ hlmaE nature is secre-
s.s D.. iuiy uucommunicati se
Interest and most
Guns ana predicaments.
woman. VINO saall ever
what reaist may say:
ls fun transcript Sc NV
N See this is what d
Tue stress Of a mighty
s.t-r foor lItae.realist. he
81 what he binself